


we carry on (while everyone's gone)

by chelseaerin928, dawdlingsanddiphthongs, PumpkinspiceLou (CatyDreamDwyer)



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Friends to Lovers, Gen, M/M, Multi, Polyamory, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-03
Updated: 2013-11-02
Packaged: 2017-12-28 21:00:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/996659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chelseaerin928/pseuds/chelseaerin928, https://archiveofourown.org/users/dawdlingsanddiphthongs/pseuds/dawdlingsanddiphthongs, https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatyDreamDwyer/pseuds/PumpkinspiceLou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While shopping for school supplies on Diagon Alley, Zayn -quite literally- bumps into Liam. Not much later, in Gryffindor tower, Liam wakes up in Louis' bed and Louis starts running into Zayn all over the castle. A year after that, things get weird on the Hogwarts Express when Niall and Harry walk into their carriage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Louis

**Author's Note:**

> This fic serves as a back story for an OT5 Twitter RP.  
> The RP can be followed through [this list](https://twitter.com/Slyth_Harry/lists/hogwarts) or by following all individual RP accounts: [Louis](http://twitter.com/Gryff_Louis), [Liam](http://twitter.com/Gryff_Liam), [Zayn](http://twitter.com/Rav_Zayn), [Niall](http://twitter.com/Huff_Niall) and [Harry](http://twitter.com/Slyth_Harry).

Louis’ first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was completely normal. That is if you think it’s normal that something happens when you wave a wooden stick around like an idiot. He’d had a bit of trouble believing his mum wasn’t just playing a prank on him when a “professor Longbottom” ( _Longbottom, mum? Really?!_ ) showed up at his front door on Christmas morning, the day after his eleventh birthday, and told him he was a wizard. He had laughed, said to the poor man “How much did my mum pay you?”, and then turned pale and wide-eyed when professor Longbottom had taken out a wand, waved it around, and fashioned a lovely bouquet of flowers seemingly out of thin air, handing them to Louis’ mum with a smile. Of course his mum had fainted before getting the chance to accept them.

But nine months later, looking up at the castle from his seat in the little boat, he couldn’t help but smile through his nerves. Half an hour later he was sorted into Gryffindor. It was all a bit overwhelming, but by the time Christmas rolled around again, Louis felt like he belonged. He was actually doing quite well, despite his fears of not being able to keep up, and he made fast friends with his classmates and the other Gryffindors.

His second year was… different. Full of excitement to start the new year, Louis sat waiting at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall for the new students to arrive. He felt an odd weight in his chest, like he was the one having to put on the hat again (it had been quite frightening, thank you very much). When the first year students filed into the room nervously, he found his attention being drawn to two boys whispering to each other quietly, the lighter-haired one seemingly trying to calm down the other.

When the first bloke was sorted into Ravenclaw he felt weirdly unhappy for a moment, but when the other boy ( _Payne, Liam!_ ) strolled towards his own table moments later, he couldn’t help but welcome him with a grin, even as Liam looked over at the Ravenclaw table longingly.

The next morning he woke up to Liam Payne snoring softly, stretched out next to him.

The first time it happened, Louis screamed (a very manly scream), yelled “What the fuck, mate?!”, and pushed the boy out of his bed. Liam looked up at him from the floor, stricken, confused, and blushing profusely, before fleeing the room. Neither of them said a word about it, and they both tried to avoid the other, failing miserably by seeming to run into each other practically everywhere.

The second time it happened, Louis was woken up by the feeling of a pair of feet resting against his own. He blinked down at the other bloke, blood rushing to his face, and quietly slipped out of bed and into the common room. Admittedly, he felt quite bad for pushing Liam out of bed and onto the cold, hard floor a week earlier, so fleeing seemed like a better option.

The third time it happened, Louis found himself waking up in a strange bed, next to a familiar boy, who was staring at him curiously.

“What the _fuck_ ,” he managed to spit out, causing Liam’s face to fall.

Louis rolled onto his back and buried his face in his hands.

“Sorry, it’s just that I thought there was something wrong with _you_ , not _me_. Or both of us, then, I guess.”

He sighed and looked at Liam again, who was staring at him, biting his lip.

“You’re not very nice,” Liam said thoughtfully.

Louis raised his eyebrows.

“Well, you’re not very-”

Another sigh escaped his lips.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, Liam.”

This time Liam was the one who raised his eyebrows.

“You know my name?” he asked.

Louis blushed, remembering the moment Liam was sorted into Gryffindor and how happy it had made him feel.

“I guess… So, erm, we should probably talk about this.”

So they talked about it. They both confirmed they had never woken up in someone else’s bed before, neither did they have a history of sleepwalking. A brainstorm session about how and why this was happening had no real result, and before they knew it they were having a conversation, getting to know each other a bit better.

Louis hated to admit it, but he actually really enjoyed Liam’s company. They agreed that it was a bit embarrassing to wake up in another boy’s bed and decided to keep it a secret, choosing not to ask one of their professors to help them find an explanation. This also meant that it kept happening from time to time, but, with them steadily becoming friends, it was a lot less awkward each time. They actually started hanging out in the common room quite often, playing wizard’s chess, Liam laughing at Louis’ jokes and Louis secretly basking in his attention.

At the same time Louis started running into _Malik, Zayn_ all over the castle. To be completely honest, it started to freak him out a bit how often they managed to physically bump into each other in and around the giant castle.

Weeks later, when Liam and him were looking over one of Liam’s Potions essays in the Gryffindor common room, Liam sighed and mumbled, “I think Zayn said it was supposed to be root of aconite, but I’m not sure…”

And that’s how he found out Liam and Zayn had been friends all this time.

“Why didn’t you tell me you made a friend?!” Louis said teasingly, then demanded to meet Zayn.

Liam laughed and shook his head, but told him when he’d be studying with Zayn in the library the next day. Louis barged in on their study session and finally introduced himself properly to Zayn.

After that, Louis, Liam, and Zayn started doing everything together. Weirdly enough, they almost felt like family to Louis, and even though he missed his real family at home, going home at the end of the school year made him feel uneasy. He would miss his friends.

But they promised to write each other, and actually did, too, and before he knew it, it was September and he was reunited with Liam and Zayn on the Hogwarts Express. He hugged both of them tightly, excited to see _them_ again, instead of just words on parchment.

He was lying across one of the seats in their carriage, listening to Zayn talk about his Nanni, when he got distracted by a blond boy who was about to open the door to their carriage.


	2. Liam

Liam never gave a second thought to magic; it was something that had always just been there. His entire childhood revolved around magic and the magical world. His earliest memory was when he was four and his father bought him a toy broomstick for Christmas despite his mother’s protests he would hurt himself. His mother was right in the end though; he may have crashed into the wall and got a bruise on his forehead. But it was definitely not his fault! Ruth decided she wanted his attention and called his name, causing him to turn and look at her. Needless to say, his mother confiscated the toy and hid it in her room (his dad would come back into his room later that evening and of course give it right back to him).

His sisters were the first to get their letters, and it was then Liam decided he really couldn’t wait to get his own. When Ruth and Nicola were home during the holidays, Liam would bug them until they told him everything that had happened at Hogwarts while he was stuck at home. Both were more than happy to sit and entertain their baby brother with stories. His favourite story would always be the one where Nicola wasn’t paying attention in Potions and nearly blew up the classroom. 

While he waited for his eleventh birthday, Liam spent his time in the back garden playing Quidditch with his dad or up in his room reading comic after comic.

Finally, the day came when his letter arrived; it would be a day Liam would remember the rest of his life. He was sitting at the table arguing with Ruth over what he should ask their parents to get him for his birthday. Ruth argued it would be more practical for him to ask for an owl rather than a new broomstick, which he had wanted. In the heat of the argument, he’d failed to notice the owl perched on the windowsill.

Pretty soon, Liam found himself in Diagon Alley shopping for school supplies. He headed straight for 2nd Hand Brooms as soon as he finished shopping with his mother, which was a task in its own rather than a fun experience. But the next thing he knew, he was crashing into something hard and stumbling to regain his footing. He quickly realized he’d knocked someone else to the ground.

“I am so, so sorry!” Liam gasped out quickly, offering his hand to the boy on the ground that looked to be his own age.

“It’s alright; it was my fault really,” the boy with the dark hair replied, taking his hand and pulling himself up.

After a conversation, Liam found out the boy was Zayn Malik and he would be attending Hogwarts with him. Liam couldn’t help but smile when he was around Zayn. He was so interested in everything magical, and Liam was more than happy to share everything he knew about the wizarding world.

After ending his conversation with Zayn and promising they’d meet up again as soon as possible, he wandered over to Eeylops Owl Emporium with his mother close behind. She had decided for him that he needed an owl when he went to school, despite his protests that he could just use one of the school owls. So he walked around the shop looking at each one before finally deciding on a Tawny Owl.

That night, Liam sat in his kitchen, keeping his owl in its cage as he stared intently at it, trying to figure out the perfect name.

“Keep staring and it’s going to bite you,” Ruth had called jokingly to him, as she passed by to get a drink.

Liam just rolled his eyes and continued to stare before a large grin spread across his face. He’d finally decided on the perfect name.

“Apollo!” Liam declared suddenly.

“Apollo? That’s… erm, great, Li,” Nicola said.

Liam knew his sisters weren’t as thrilled with his name selection as he was, and why they weren’t baffled him; he’d spent hours on it after all! Apollo looked to be pleased with his name, so Liam let him out for a while to stretch his wings.

After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Liam finally found himself walking up to the door of the Great Hall at Hogwarts, Zayn at his side. 

With his heart pounding in his ears, he turned to Zayn and whispered, “What house do you want to be in?”

“House?” Zayn whispered, and Liam noticed the confused look on his face.

“Yeah, you’ve got Ravenclaw for the smart people, Gryffindor for the brave people, Hufflepuff for the friendly people, and Slytherin for the snobs.”

“Oh. Erm,” Zayn began, as the doors opened and they were rushed inside.

Liam hoped he’d be in Gryffindor like his entire family had been. His entire life, he’d been taught that Payne and Gryffindor go together like peanut butter and jelly! He knew his parents would still love him no matter what house he was sorted into, but he still didn’t want to be the odd one out.

He felt his heart give a jump as Zayn’s name was called. He smiled as he watched his friend step forward nervously. He couldn’t help but chew nervously on his own lip as the hat pondered. Finally, it spoke.

“Ravenclaw!” the hat yelled for everyone to hear.

Liam couldn’t deny that his heart sank a little at the hat’s choice. He knew he wouldn’t be in Ravenclaw. But then again, there _was_ a chance. He became so consumed in his own thoughts, he almost didn’t hear his own name get called. The second the hat was placed on his head, it felt extremely awkward and strange knowing it could hear his thoughts. Liam sat there silently for a moment, waiting for the hat’s decision before he finally made one.

“Gryffindor!” it called out.

Once the hat was off his head, he made his way over to the cheering table, seeing his sisters look at him with proud eyes. But his attention wasn’t on them; it was on Zayn. Liam suddenly wanted nothing more than to be with his friend. He tried to push the thought from his mind and focus on the food that appeared in front of him. It did look rather mouthwatering.

After the feast was finished, Liam followed the other Gryffindors back to the common room. He was exhausted and full and wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and get some well-deserved rest. He tiredly changed into his pyjamas and got into his bed, falling asleep almost the second his head hit the pillow.

He awoke the next morning to a hard shove to the floor and a loud call of “What the fuck, mate?!”

He looked up confused and startled as to why he was pushed out of his bed and found himself staring into a pair of blue eyes. He looked around and realized he wasn’t sleeping in _his_ bed, but rather the other boy’s. He felt his face heat up as he scrambled to his feet and bolted from the room. 

A week later, he woke up alone in that same bed, and with bright red cheeks, he quickly got back into his own bed, hoping no one saw.

A little while after that second time, he awoke one morning and found the brown-haired boy stretched out in _his_ bed this time. Liam couldn’t help but stare at him, as he tried to figure out what was going on. He was pulled from his thoughts when the boy woke up and spoke.

“What the _fuck_?” the boy spat at him.

Liam felt his face fall into a frown, as he looked at the boy, unsure why _he_ was being blamed for this time, when it was _his_ bed after all.

The boy turned and rested on his back, burying his head in his hands before speaking. “Sorry, it’s just that I thought there was something wrong with _you_ not _me_. Or both of us, then, I guess.”

“You’re not very nice,” Liam heard himself say before he could think, not fully awake yet, his brain-to-mouth filter faulty.

The boy raised his eyebrows.

“Well, you’re not very-” he started before sighing.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, Liam.”

“You know my name?” Liam asked, raising his eyebrows in shock; he didn’t recall telling the boy his name.

The boy blushed.

“I guess… So, erm, we should probably talk about this.”

After a long and awkward talk, they determined neither of them had any recollection of sleepwalking or waking up in someone else’s bed before. After the initial awkwardness had passed, Liam found himself laughing with the boy who had introduced himself as Louis Tomlinson. With each passing second, Liam found he was getting more and more comfortable with Louis. Every time after that when either boy woke up in the other’s bed, they found it was less awkward.

Liam started hanging out with Louis more and more. The two could often be found in the common room actively engaged in a game of wizard’s chess. Liam really enjoyed it as Louis could always make him laugh with his silly jokes and personality.

A few weeks later, the two were studying a Potions essay of Liam’s when he pushed the paper back, rubbing his temple.

“I think Zayn said it was supposed to be root of aconite, but I’m not sure…” he mumbled.

“Why didn’t you tell me you made a friend?!” Louis called out in a teasing tone before he demanded to meet Zayn.

Liam couldn’t hold back the laugh that tumbled from his mouth at Louis’ words. He composed himself after a few moments and told Louis about how he was meeting Zayn in the library the next day.

Liam couldn’t deny he was nervous about his two friends meeting, but once they did it was like the three had always been together. You rarely saw them apart; Zayn even joined Liam and Louis in the Gryffindor common room to play wizard’s chess every so often. The year ended too quickly for their liking, however, and soon the summer holidays were upon them. Liam wasn’t looking forward to leaving his two best friends; an entire summer without them at home would be boring. But they’d promised to write to each other all summer, and that gave him a bit of hope. It was only a few months, right?

Liam spent his summer mostly on his broomstick and occasionally attending Quidditch matches (when he wasn’t sending Apollo to Zayn or Louis of course). The months dragged by at a snail’s pace, and Liam found himself longing to be back in the common room laughing with his friends instead of in his room reading and rereading their letters.

Finally, the day came when it was time to return to Hogwarts. Zayn had promised he had big news in his last letter and Liam was very excited to hear it. He watched for a moment as Zayn stood confused on the platform, neck craned, clearly looking for them. Liam snuck up behind him with a smile and wrapped Zayn in his arms.

“Liam!” Zayn said with a bright smile when he realized who was behind him.

“Zayn, mate, you look like a first year. Proper lost and everything,” Liam teased.

“Shut it,” Zayn replied, his smile getting wider.

“Now come on! Louis’ already got a carriage saved for us and I want to hear about your summer.”

Soon, they were settled on the train and recounting stories from their summers, and then Zayn finally decided to tell his secret. Liam listened with excited eyes, as Zayn started to talk about the letter he had been given and discovering he was part Veela. His attention was only pulled away from Zayn when the door to the carriage opened and a blond boy stood there looking extremely confused and out of place.


	3. Zayn

Zayn remembers perfectly the first time he made something happen. He was exactly nine years old, five months, and twelve days. He had been playing with his sister, colouring a—quite amazing in his opinion—picture of Peter Pan. Then Doniya rudely decided to take away his box of crayons before sprinting down the corridor of their family flat, a taunting laugh following in her wake. A temper tantrum soon ensued—although Zayn prefers to omit that part of the story—and before he knew it, the box of crayons was in his hand. Doniya obviously tattled after that, but his parents thought the notion was ludicrous. It wasn’t until Zayn received his letter from Hogwarts two years later that it all made sense. Zayn remembers that day clearly too. From the look of shock and confusion on his parents’ faces to the glower on Doniya’s face to the smirk on his Nanni’s face, it’s a memory that will never fade. Especially since after that letter, everything changed. 

Entering the world of magic was… different. It was… magical—pardon the pun. Zayn had always been fond of reading, entering new and exciting worlds and going on fantastical adventures, but never in a million years did he ever imagine living one! It was like stepping into a dream when Zayn had entered Diagon Alley. All the bright colours and sounds, it was all so amazing and Zayn didn’t know which way to look! His attention quickly and excitedly darted back and forth, between the explosions coming from Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes, the screeching and hissing coming from Eeylops Owl Emporium, the sugary sweet smell coming from Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlour. With a dazed smile across his face, Zayn made his way down the pathway. His attention was quickly grabbed by the shiny broomsticks in the window of a shop, and before Zayn knew it, he was crashing into something and toppling to the ground. Zayn looked up to see a very startled bloke, couldn’t have been older than himself, standing over him. 

“I am so, so sorry!” the bloke stuttered, offering a helping hand to Zayn. 

“It’s alright; it was my fault really,” Zayn replied, taking the proffered hand gratefully and pulling himself to his feet. 

And that was how Zayn met Liam Payne. 

Strangely, Zayn was glad he had collided with Liam that day. It meant when he arrived at platform nine and three-quarters—which what?—there was at least one familiar face. It also made the train journey enjoyable. Zayn was completely captivated by all the stories Liam had to tell about magic and the Second Wizarding War and Hogwarts. It just added to Zayn’s excitement to get there. 

Of course anticipation didn’t prepare him for the large, towering, stone structure that was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was awestrickening, causing Zayn’s breath to catch in his throat. And to think this was to be his new home. Zayn couldn’t help but turn to Liam, sitting next to him in the boat, and give him the widest smile. 

Thankfully, it wasn’t long before the boats were pulling up in front of the castle. Zayn, Liam, and the other eager first year students quickly clambered out of the boats before being led inside Hogwarts. 

“What house do you want to be in?” Liam whispered near Zayn’s ear. 

“House?”

“Yeah, you’ve got Ravenclaw for the smart people, Gryffindor for the brave people, Hufflepuff for the friendly people, and Slytherin for the snobs.”

“Oh. Erm—” 

Before Zayn could even finish his thought, the first years were being ushered into the Great Hall. Zayn heard an audible gasp leave his lips as his eyes skirted around the room. It was—he wasn’t sure what word to use to describe it. There were a number of other students, obviously older, sitting around four large tables. The look on some of their faces were a bit intimidating, judging, while others were open and friendly. One particular boy with blue eyes caught Zayn’s eyes, but Zayn quickly looked away, a light blush painting his cheeks, and focused his attention on the elaborate ceiling—could it be called a ceiling?—that looked identical to the night sky: clouds, stars, and all. Zayn couldn’t help but wonder how that was possible…

Zayn was torn from his thoughts as singing broke out in the Great Hall. He looked around in confusion and noticed that everyone else’s attention was on a large, brown hat sitting upon a stool at the front of the Great Hall. It took Zayn a few moments to realise that the singing he was hearing was in fact coming from said hat. It took a few more moments to realise that he was meant to be listening to the lyrics of the song, which didn’t happen until Zayn heard one of the names he remembered Liam mentioning earlier. As soon as the song had begun, it seemed to be ending, leaving Zayn in a daze of bewilderment, and before he could even come back to reality a boy named Jake Adams was being announced. Zayn watched in fascination as a scrawny boy with a buzz cut walked up the steps to the stool, taking a seat and having the singing hat placed atop his head. Almost instantly a shout of “Hufflepuff” came from the hat. The boy scurried off to one of the four tables as another name was called, and the process continued. 

Zayn chewed nervously on his thumbnail. They had reached the L’s now which meant his name was sure to be next. He didn’t know what to expect. He didn’t even know what he wanted. All he hoped was that he ended up in the same house as Liam because then at least he would have one friend with him. 

“Malik, Zayn!”

 _Welp, now or never I suppose_ , Zayn thought to himself. After a deep breath and a quick glance at Liam to receive an encouraging smile, Zayn made his way up the steps to the stool and the Sorting Hat. He sat down and waited as the hat was placed over his hair. It was weird. He could almost hear the hat inside his head, feel it picking around his thoughts—which was just absurd really; it was a _hat_. 

“Ravenclaw!”

The sudden sound startled Zayn, making him jump a bit. Trying to hold some semblance of an air of confidence, Zayn slipped off the stool and made his way to what he now knew was the Ravenclaw table. A few of the other students there patted his back, shook his hand, and introduced themselves. Zayn tried to pay attention and greet them back, but he couldn’t help but look back anxiously at where Liam was still standing. His name would be called soon. 

Zayn could feel his face fall as the shout of “Gryffindor” rang out in the Great Hall and Liam made his way to a table that was decidedly _not_ the same table as Zayn. He watched as Liam introduced himself to the blue-eyed boy and sat down beside him, his heart giving a longing pang in his chest. The other names were called and the remaining students were sorted, but Zayn didn’t pay much attention, his eyes ultimately glued to the Gryffindor table. Eventually, the feast began and Zayn’s attention was drawn to the large array of food that magically adorned the tables. He wasn’t quite sure yet how to classify the start to the year…

Zayn’s first year at Hogwarts was different in the best way possible! No longer learning about boring maths and English literature, he was learning about the history of magic and charms. Zayn found that he couldn’t stop smiling and honestly, he couldn’t stop learning. He spent more hours than he’d like to admit in the library just reading and consuming everything about magic and Hogwarts—specifically Ravenclaw—that he could. 

Zayn even stayed friends with Liam. Even though they were in separate houses, they still were assigned the same work, and often Liam would join him in the library. It was nice to be able to sit there and look up from a book to see Liam diligently working on a potions paper. He always looked so cute when he concentrated with this little pout and furrowed brows—of course Zayn would _never_ admit that out loud. 

Also good, although also slightly strange, Zayn kept finding himself running into that blue-eyed boy he’d seen on his first night at Hogwarts. On many an occasion, he’d finding himself turning a corner only to be knocked to the ground, and when he’d look up there was the blue-eyed boy. It wasn’t until a few weeks that he learned the boy’s name was Louis. Zayn and Liam had been having another of their regular study session in the library when he had bounded up and greeted Liam brightly. Zayn had been wary at first—not jealous! Wary!—but after Louis had introduced himself and cracked a few jokes, Zayn was sort of bought. Louis just had this way about him. As cliche as it is, he lit up a room. Zayn sometimes liked to think that Louis had been a shooting star that had fallen to Earth, sent to bring happiness to others with his smile. 

It wasn’t long before the three boys became the closest of friends. It was as if they were attached at the hip, they were always together: studying in the library together, playing wizard’s chess in the Gryffindor common room—that was a new one for Zayn—, watching Liam and Louis play Quidditch, and enjoying the nicer weather in the courtyard. 

Zayn was quite sad when the summer holidays came around and he had to leave his two new friends. Of course, he was excited to get home and tell his parents all about what he had learnt at Hogwarts; plus, he, Liam, and Louis had promised to write over the summer holidays. Still, it was with a sad smile that Zayn stepped back onto the train back to King’s Cross. He even found himself staring up at the towering stone castle longingly, already thrumming to get back in September. 

“Oi! Zayn! Bring your head back to reality and come on!” Louis’ voice broke him out of his reverie. 

With one last look at his new home, Zayn followed the Gryffindor to a carriage where Liam was already sitting. The three sat and chatted idly about their summer plans, but it wasn’t long before the tall buildings of London were coming into view and Zayn was being wrapped in the warm embrace of his mother. He waved goodbye to Liam and Louis while being ushered to the family car. _Just a few months_ , he told himself.

Zayn’s summer was mostly uneventful—as he expected it to be. It consisted mostly of reading and writing letters to Liam and Louis. But at the end of August, his Nanni came to visit. At first, Zayn didn’t think anything of it. His grandparents often came for dinner and such, but this time his Nanni pulled him aside and handed him a letter, telling him not to open it until he was alone. Bewildered was a bit of an understatement in terms of Zayn’s reaction. He knew his Nanni was a bit old, and he couldn’t help but think that maybe she had gone a bit bonkers with age. Nevertheless, under the safety of his duvet later that night, Zayn opened the letter. The first thing Zayn noticed was the photo that fell into his lap. Holding up his torch higher to get a better look, he found himself staring into the face of a very beautiful and young woman. She reminded him slightly of his mother but with long, pale hair and slightly softer features. Zayn picked up the actual letter and began reading the written words of his Nanni. It was a back story of sorts, explaining the life of his apparent great-grandmother who was something called a Veela. The next morning, Zayn read book after book, learning everything he could about this other race. It was fascinating! Good looks, their own magic they can use without wands, throwing fire! Zayn was overwhelmed and intrigued at the same time! He couldn’t wait to tell Liam and Louis this new information. Only one more week…

Trying to maneuver his way through King’s Cross with all his things was much more difficult than Zayn remembered it having been last year. Still, he continued to weave, trying desperately to find one of the two familiar faces he was desperate to see. Zayn paused for a moment on the platform, craning his neck to see over the heads of students and parents, when arms wrapped around him from behind. When Zayn turned around, he was greeted with warm brown eyes and a gentle smile. 

“Liam!” Zayn greeted warmly. 

“Zayn, mate, you look like a first year. Proper lost and everything,” Liam teased, chuckling softly. 

“Shut it,” Zayn replied, trying to hide his growing smile. 

“Now come on! Louis’ already got a carriage saved for us and I want to hear about your summer.”

Zayn followed Liam happily, already feeling like he was at home and he wasn’t even on the train yet. 

Once all three boys were settled on the train with sandwiches packed happily by Liam’s mother, they began recounting stories from their summer: from Quidditch matches that Liam attended to the pranks Louis played on his sisters.

“…so apparently she was Veela, which makes my Nanni half Veela, which makes my mum a quarter Veela, which makes me— Louis, are you even listening?”

Zayn waved his hand in front of the older boy’s face, but Louis continued to stare curiously at the door to their carriage. Zayn sighed in annoyance, but turned his attention to the door as well only to find a young blonde standing there awkwardly…


	4. Niall

Niall’s favourite story has always been the one of how his parents met. 

You see, Niall’s father, Bobby, was a wizard. He attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where he was a proud Hufflepuff and he even survived the First Wizarding War—which is also a story that Niall loves, but that’s a story for another day. After finishing his seventh year of Hogwarts and after surviving the war, Niall’s father decided to live a life away from magic. So using what little muggle knowledge he possessed, he enrolled in a degree programme at the National University of Ireland. It took a bit of adjusting but he quickly settled into the muggle lifestyle: studying English literature and maths, travelling via public transport, and going out for pints with friends. 

On one particular night, Bobby and his mates went out to the student union bar after an exam. And while they were enjoying their pints and having a laugh, he caught sight of, as he likes to describe, “the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid me eyes on. So beautiful I thought she was an angel.” After a shot of liquid courage—or five as Niall’s uncle always corrects—Bobby finally approached the girl and asked her name—Maura—and asked if he could buy her a drink. She of course agreed and the two spent the entire night dancing, laughing, and of course blushing like the kids in love that they were destined to be. 

After that night, the two repeatedly met up for coffee dates. Then coffee dates became study dates, and study dates became actual dates. And after that—well, use your imagination. Niall got here somehow, and if he’s honest, he doesn’t really like to think about the how. 

Anyways, after university his parents got married and moved to a nice house in the country where both Niall and his older brother Greg were born. When Greg was almost eleven was when weird things started happening, and when Greg got his letter to Hogwarts, that’s when everything changed. 

Even though Niall was only eight at the time, he still remembers it quite well: his father explaining the wizarding world to his mother (explaining that he himself was a wizard), his mother laughing in disbelief, his father creating a cake out of thin air as proof, his mother fainting… It was a packed day to say the least. 

After his mother learned to accept his father for how he was, Niall was introduced to the amazing world of wizardry that he never knew was there! It had always fascinated him that it was right there the whole time and yet he had been so ignorant. He remembers when his father took him to his first Quidditch game when he was nine. Almost instantly, he fell in love with the sport, and for Christmas he asked for his first broomstick. 

Even though Niall had three more years after Greg received his letter before he would be going to Hogwarts, he still dived right into the world of magic. His father gave him various books to read and he spent almost every afternoon flying around in their back garden—never where people could see of course.

When Niall turned eleven, he set an alarm for five in the morning in anticipation for his letter. Despite the early hour and even the fact that the sun hadn’t risen yet, Niall jumped out of bed excitedly and perched atop the windowsill in the kitchen. It wasn’t until early evening, when the sky had turned from a crystal blue to a painted menagerie of pinks, purples, and golds, that Niall saw an owl flying his way. Niall could’ve sworn the smile that broke out across his face was going to split his face in two. This was what he’d been looking forward to for years now, and when he could finally feel that parchment in his hands, see the green script dancing across the page, it was indescribable. 

Niall was a bit disappointed that he had to wait a year before he could attend Hogwarts, but that just meant he had a year for his excitement to build tenfold. And by the time his parents, his brother, and he were driving to King’s Cross station, he was practically jumping out of his skin. He just wanted to be there and be practicing magic _now_. 

Niall had been to Diagon Alley on multiple occasions after Greg received his letter, but this was the first time he got to go to platform nine and three-quarters, since his mum was always wary of the crowds. He couldn’t believe what he had been missing out on! To anyone else, the combined commotion of screeching owls, students and parents alike shouting, and items from Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes going off, would be annoying and probably cause a headache, but not to Niall. His smile was as wide as could be as his eyes danced across the crowded platform, trying to take everything in. 

“Come on, Ni! We need to get your trunk on the train!” His mother called, breaking him out of his reverie.

“Sorry Mum! I’m coming!” 

Niall quickly ran to catch up with his family as they made their way further down the platform, his eyes still darting every which way. _One step closer to Hogwarts_ , he thought. 

After he had said goodbye to both his parents, and Greg had left him to join his fourth year friends, Niall was on his own. It didn’t bother him though. He still happily jumped on the Hogwarts Express and bounced his way down the corridor, trying to find a carriage to sit in. 

The first carriage Niall came across had three boys sitting in it who appeared to be having an intense conversation about Quidditch teams and the upcoming season. 

“I’m a massive fans of the Kestrels meself!” Niall said from the doorway, smiling happily at the boys. 

The three boys turned to look at him, a mixture of scowling and non-amusement on each of their faces. 

“Do you mind, mate?” one of the boys quipped. 

“Oh, erm, sorry,” Niall said, turning to go as the boys returned to their debate between the Harpies and the Magpies. 

The next carriage Niall tried had a similar outcome: weird and dirty looks along with nowhere to sit. With each step down the corridor, Niall’s bubbliness seemed to simmer more and more and his smile sank more and more, and he ultimately ended up in an almost empty carriage save two girls who had their heads bent while they whispered. 

Niall slumped in his seat and watched out the window as the train whizzed past the English countryside. The greens and yellows from farms and fields seemed to blur together with the blue of the sky to make a swirling sea of colour. Although it wasn’t long before grey clouds began to creep and settle in, washing away the colours and leaving only the dullness of rain. 

About an hour into the journey, Niall’s antsiness got the best of him along with his full bladder—why did he think it was a good idea to drink that whole bottle of Lucozade again? So Niall made his way out of the carriage, the two girls not even looking up, and back down the corridor. As he walked, he couldn’t help but wonder how much longer it would be until the train would be arriving at Hogwarts. He couldn’t wait to get to Hogwarts. He wondered what it would look like. He’d seen pictures in history books and such but apparently the school was damaged after the Second Wizarding War and rebuilding had been done. Would it look the same? He also wondered what house he’d be sorted into. He had read a bit about each house, but he wasn’t sure which he’d prefer. Maybe Hufflepuff, like his father…

Niall opened the door and was about to step into the toilets when his brain seemed to catch up with the real world and he realised what he had thought was the toilets was most definitely _not_ the toilets. Instead, he found three sets of eyes staring curiously at him.

“Oh. Ermmm… Er…” Niall scrounged for a response to the questioning looks, but his brain apparently thought this moment was a perfect moment to shut down. 

“Are you alright there, mate?” the one with the big, brown eyes asked. 

At least he looked nice, Niall thought, returning a wide grin to the boy’s warm smile. 

“I, erm, was looking for the toilets?” Niall replied, feeling a deep blush paint across his cheeks to his ears. Definitely not the best start to the year, embarrassing himself in front of the older boys. 

“Think you’ve got the wrong carriage, mate,” the dark haired boy responded, obviously trying to hide a smirk that threatened to pull at the corners of his lips. 

“Sorry,” Niall muttered, his cheeks still flaming, “I’ll just—”

Niall turned to look down the corridor of the train anxiously. He couldn’t help but chew on the inside of his cheek. He didn’t know where to go. He was sure he’d suffocate if he went back to that carriage with the two girls, and it wasn’t like he had a carriage of friends like he had expected to have by now. He didn’t get it. He had never had trouble making friends before; everyone used to love him at muggle school. Now, he was just lost, and that was not a fun feeling. 

“Do you have a carriage?” the blue-eyed boy asked, pulling Niall’s attention back forward. 

“Er… Not really…” Niall looked down at his feet, ashamed. 

“Well,” blue eyes smiled, “you’re welcome to join u—”

“Louis!” dark-hair hissed, cutting the other off. 

“Zayn!” blue eyes glared back before turning back to Niall. “Come on now!”

Niall hesitantly made his way into the carriage, closing the door behind him, and sat down. 

“So, what’s your name?” big brown eyes asked. 

“Niall. Niall Horan.”

“Well, Niall, I’m Liam, that’s Zayn and that’s Louis.”

“Hi,” Niall said shyly. 

“So, Niall,” Louis said, “why don’t you tell us about yourself.”


	5. Harry

Harry Styles, heir of the ancient pure-blood Styles family, knew exactly what his life was going to look like when he turned eleven years old. He would get his Hogwarts letter, wait impatiently for precisely seven months, and then finally he would be allowed to board the shiny, red train that would take him to his new home, where he would be sorted into Slytherin, like his entire family before him.

Except that on the night of his birthday, after all the guests had left, his letter still hadn’t come, and he was panicking. He was sitting on his sister’s bed, braiding her hair (she always forced him to do that, the brat), when he finally voiced his concerns.

“Gem… What if my letter doesn’t come?” he murmured.

Gemma snorted, but her voice was soft when she replied.

“Don’t worry, pumpkin. There’s a storm outside; the owl is probably just lost or hiding from the rain.”

He nodded.

“Okay…” 

See, it wasn’t as if Harry didn’t know he was a wizard. He had made things happen before, and having been born into a pure-blood family made the chances of being non-magical almost non-existent. But when a windswept and exhausted looking owl tapped on his bedroom window the next morning, he felt a great sense of relief. (He may or may not have shed a few tears but that’s between him and his teddy.)

He ran into Gemma’s room, even if it was still dark outside, and jumped onto her bed, spreading out like a snow angel on top of her.

“I’ve got my letter!” he whispered excitedly.

She pushed him off of her, held up the duvet, and pulled him into a hug.

“Told you so,” she grumbled, then promptly fell asleep again.

In the following months, he made a sport of begging his mum to take him shopping for school supplies.

“You won’t be allowed to use your wand until you arrive at Hogwarts, Harry, so there’s really no point in getting it now,” was his mum’s favourite line to stop him from whining about it, but that just made him sulk. 

He just _wanted_ it. Gemma always carried hers everywhere, poking out of her sleeve while she tapped her fingers against it, and looking at it made him irrationally jealous.

So halfway through May, when their garden was blooming with all sorts of flowers, he decided to go on a mission. He trudged through their flower beds, picking the prettiest flowers he could find, then plopped down on the lawn and began assembling a messy but colourful bouquet, tongue poking out of his mouth in concentration.

When he was satisfied at last, he ran back into the house, determined to find his mum and persuade her. Leaving muddy footsteps everywhere, he finally found her in the kitchen and put on his biggest smile.

“Look what I made you, mum!”

Anne’s eyes widened as she took in Harry’s bouquet.

“Did you- Are those-?” she stammered.

Harry’s face fell, and Anne couldn’t help but take the flowers from him and hug him tightly.

“I’ll miss you when you leave for Hogwarts, cupcake,” she sniffed.

“You too, mum,” he whispered.

He would feel bad asking her to take him shopping when she was feeling a little sad, though, so he figured he could wait a bit longer.

But the next day, when he came downstairs for breakfast, his mum looked up, smiling.

“Ready to get your wand, then, pumpkin?”

He looked at her wide-eyed, suddenly feeling nervous.

“Really?!”

“Really.”

He refused to let go of his wand. If it wasn’t in his hand, it was tucked away in his sleeve, resting against his arm assuringly. When he was alone in his room, he sometimes waved it around like he saw his family do, and it made him feel strangely powerful and _happy_.

August went by fast, and then he was saying goodbye to his mum and boarding the train and _God, he was gonna miss her_ , but at least he still had Gemma and he could use her owl to write to his mum and everything was going to be okay and he was waving and waving and then she was gone and _shit_ he wasn’t going to cry.

“You can stay with me, yeah?” Gemma told him, smiling.

He stayed with her and her friends in their carriage, but even though he knew Gemma really didn’t mind having him there, it didn’t feel right.

A lady came by with a trolley laden with sweets, happily smiling at Harry, and after Gemma and her friends had bought a handful of Chocolate Frogs and some Sugar Quills, he excused himself. Gemma looked at him worriedly.

“Just gonna keep her company for a bit,” he told her with a smile.

The candy lady ( _Oh, call me Margaret, dear!_ ) was awfully friendly, and for the first time that day, he started to allow himself to feel excited because _he was on his way to Hogwarts_ , and he had been looking forward to that since the moment he knew it existed. He chatted idly with her in between carriages, and found he was enjoying himself despite his initial dreariness.

When he passed his own carriage, however, he deemed it time to say goodbye to Margaret and did so cheerfully, but after she had left him standing alone, he realised _he didn’t have a carriage_ , yet here he was, standing in the doorway ( _did he open that door?_ ), four other boys looking up at him curiously. He felt odd. He felt really, really odd.

“Hi.”

“Hi,” came four other voices. 

Harry looked around the carriage, feeling a bit self-conscious under the various stares. It didn't help that each face had a different expression painted across. From the friendly smile of the blonde to the guy with feathery hair with his mouth hanging open, it was a bit overwhelming. 

Harry went to say something else, but he didn't get farther than opening his mouth before his body was wracked with a bad case of the chills. His hands instantly went to his arms, trying to rub some warmth back into them, when he noticed the boy with the light brown hair doing the same. 

"Jesus!" the feather haired boy said, "did they suddenly decide to crank up the aircon?!" 

Harry raised his eyebrows. “What the hell is an aircon?”

The boy with the tall dark hair stared incredulously at Harry. “Are you serious, mate? Air conditioning?”

“He means the thing muggles use to make it colder,” the light haired boy replied. 

“Oh. Right…” Harry said; although, his mind was elsewhere. It didn't quite settle with him, the fact that all five boys seemed to get the chills at the same time. It reminded him a bit of his aunt and uncle. He was quickly pulled from his reverie when the boy spoke again.

“You can sit down, you know.” 

Harry gave a wide smile and took a seat inside the carriage. "I'm Harry, by the way."

Harry received an echo of names in reply. Zayn. Niall. Louis. Liam.

It wasn't long before all five boys were chatting and laughing together. Like they had always been the best of friends.

Like it was always meant to be the five of them.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic serves as a back story for an OT5 Twitter RP.  
> The RP can be followed through [this list](https://twitter.com/Slyth_Harry/lists/hogwarts) or by following all individual RP accounts: [Louis](http://twitter.com/Gryff_Louis), [Liam](http://twitter.com/Gryff_Liam), [Zayn](http://twitter.com/Rav_Zayn), [Niall](http://twitter.com/Huff_Niall) and [Harry](http://twitter.com/Slyth_Harry).
> 
> The RP starts exactly 3 years after the fic ends, on September 1st 2008, when Louis starts his 6th year at Hogwarts, Zayn and Liam their 5th, and Niall and Harry their 4th.
> 
> Over time we will add some drabbles to this fic to fill up the time gap.
> 
> Special thanks to M and C for their patience. :)
> 
> We hope you enjoy!


End file.
